Internationalization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The debate over the past five years on how to limit national ownership and control of nuclear fuel-cycle facilities is largely a response to the perceived risk of a growing number of countries to acquire these sensitive technologies. This prospect is seen as a challenge to the nonproliferation regime by leading nuclear weapon states and their allies, by non-weapon states seeking both to stem proliferation and to abolish nuclear weapons, and by states and international bodies seeking to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.